“Gronk Will Kill Me”: Julian Edelman Jokes as Brazilian Fan Asks Ex-Patriots Duo to ‘Take it to the Cage’

A fight between  Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski would be one for the ages. Perhaps that is why, a caller on Julian Edelman’s ‘Games with Names’ podcast put forth this idea.

The caller identified himself as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and would like to see the former New England Patriots teammates engage in a fight. However, they wouldn’t adhere to the fan’s idea out of respect for each other. They used the conversation to build each other up, as Edelman expressed a four-word reaction that encapsulated the outcome: “Gronk would kill me.”

A Rob Gronkowski-Julian Edelman matchup won’t work in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, or any form of martial arts because they adhere to weight classes. Edelman’s listed weight of 198 pounds is nowhere near Gronkowski’s 265 pounds. However, as suggested during the conversation, they might be effective tag-team partners if they explore professional wrestling.

Gronk and Julian debate which one of them would win in a fight 😂 pic.twitter.com/5X75mlJMHM

— Games with Names (@gameswithnames) June 29, 2024

But while Edelman might be giving up some inches and pounds, Gronkowski praised his former teammate and guaranteed he is “a dog” who can handle himself in a fight.

The Kent State wide receiver has fought with some former teammates, such as former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore and fellow wideout Danny Amendola. Meanwhile, Gronkowski and Edelman have only gone as far as having a Twitter feud in 2015.

After publicly declaring that a physical fight between them won’t happen, the Patriots stars tried to make light of the caller’s BJJ background. But getting a BJJ brown belt is no joke.

Edelman and Gronkowski Tried to Make Fun of the Caller’s BJJ Background

The four-time All-Pro tight end tried to comment on the caller’s BJJ credentials, but Edelman’s co-hosts persuaded him not to make fun of the guy’s dedication to the discipline. All Gronkowski could say was:

“I just love how he started it off. His name’s Tyler, and he’s a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt.”

Given their busy schedules involving media commitments and other projects, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu might not be a discipline that Gronkowski and Edelman will try soon. Likewise, it’s correct that they didn’t push the joke further because getting a BJJ brown belt is no joke.

It’s one degree below the black belt, the sport’s highest standard belt. According to the 360 Jiu-Jitsu website, students often achieve brown belt status after five years of dedicated training. Meanwhile, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation requires practitioners to be at least 18 years old and have at least 18 months of purple belt experience to reach the brown belt.

In addition to Julian Edelman’s history of fighting with teammates, Gronkowski did have sports entertainment experience when he joined World Wrestling Entertainment during his first retirement in 2019. It was a short-lived stint because he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a year later. Gronkowski’s top WWE achievements were hosting WrestleMania 36 and winning the 24/7 Title. The WWE released Gronkowski in June 2020, but he cannot wrestle for other promotions if he chooses to return.